Clutching and speed-changing device



April 28, 931. J. coTAL 1,803,235

' CLUTCHING AND SPEED CHANGING DEVICE Filed Feb. 12, 192e Patented Apr.28, 1931 i UNITED STATES PATENT oEFlcE GOTAL, F PARIS, .FRANCE ASSIGNORT0 SOCIETE DEXPLOITATION DES BREVETS COTAL, 0F PARIS, FRANCE CLUTCHINGAND SPEED-CHANGING DEVICE l Application filed February 12, 1926,Seriallo. 87,884, and in France February 25, 19225.

Clutching and speed-changing devices are already known in whichelectrically-controlled electro-magnets hold fast or release at willtoothed pinions which are in constant engagement and suitably dis osed.

v n the case of large gear ratios, the electromagnetsv and their'armatures should be designed so as to withstand very heavy reactionsand, for that reason, their size, weight and cost become prohibitive forthe apparatus of moderate power such as motor vehicles.

The present invention relates to an improved electro-magnetic clutchingand speedchanging device capable of furnishing a large scale of'gearratios without requirlng constituent parts of any great size. In thisdevice, one or more of the electro-magnets utilized are each providedwith two movable armatures whichl are connected with each other and aredisposed on either sides of the winding.

This device may bealso constructed by the juxtaposition of several setsof similar mechanisms which are mounted in series and in each of whichthe speeds are preferably graduated according to different scales.

According to circumstances, the desired resulting speed may be obtainedeither by reduction gearing-with or without reversing mechanism-which isobtained by one of the sets of mechanisms whilst the other set or setsoperate b direct drive, or by the combination of t e several gear ratiosof each mechanism.

In each mechanism, the driving shaft is fast to a disc carryingplanetary pinions which are in constant gear engagement with the sungears, whereof one is secured to thedriven shaft and the other Amay beheld fast upon the said disc by electro-magneticmeans, in order toobtain the direct drive.

By the use of several mechanisms in series, it is possible to divide thedesired gear ratio into fractional parts and to consequently reduce thereaction stresses to a like degree. It is well own, in fact that in anyepicyclic train, the. reaction tor ue corresponding to the sun gearwhich is eld fast in order to 50 obtain the desired speed is equal tothe algebraic difference between the resisting torque and the drivingtorque; for instance, in the.

portant in certain cases, are sustained by a single electro-magnet whichhas therefore inconveniently eat dimensions. According to the presentlnvention, said reaction torque or stresses are sustained either by anumber of special electro-magnets of an improved type (with adouble-armature) or by a number of ordinary electromagnets between whichsaid important reaction or lstresses are subdivided, and which may begiven therefore very adequate small dimensions; in particular, thearrangement of two armatures upon the same electro-magnet makes itpossible'to double the carrying area of same and to augment the maximumpower'transmission capacity of the apparatus.

By way of example, a constructional form of the device according totheinvention is shown in lengthwise section in Fig. 1 of the ap endeddrawing.

ig. 2 shows a different arrangement of the double-armatureelectro-magnet.

In this constructional form, the primary shaft l carries an element ordisc 2 upon which are mounted axles 3 upon which rotate a suit'- ablenumber of planetary pinions 4, 5, 6 which are secured to each other andare respectively in gearing engagement with a suitable number of sungears 7, v8, 9. One of the said sun gears, 7 for instance, is secured toan intermediate shaft 10 which is preferably Situated in line with theshaft 1. l

A- disc 11 preferably similar to the disc 2 .is secured to the shaft 10and carries axles 12 upon which are rotatable a suitable number` ofplanetary pinions 13, 14, 15 which are respectively in engagement with asuitable number of sun gears 16, 17, 18. i One of the sun gears, 16 forinstance, is secured to the secondary shaft 19 which is preferably inline with the shafts 1 and 10.

The sun gears 8, 9, 17, 18 are secured to concentric hollow shafts suchas 50, 52, 51, 53

carrying sleeves such as 54, 56, 55, 57 which are provided witharmatures 20, 21, 23, 24, 28, 29 which are enabled, by means of springssuch as 45 to move slightly in a direction parallel with the drivingaxle. The sun gear 9 is secured to two armatures 20, 21 situated on eachside of a special electro-magnet 22.

This special electro-magnet is preferably constituted by two concentricrings of magnetic metal 40 and 41 and in the annular space between saidrings isdisposed the energizing coil 22 which is held in place forinstance by two cheeks 43, 44 of non-magnetic material which aresuitably attached to the rings 40, 41 which are thus secured togetherand form a device which is mounted on the wall of the casing 32 of theapparatus.

Since the improved electro-magnet is provided with two armatures, whenit is energized the area in contact will be double what can be obtainedwith a single armature, so that the adhesion will be augmentedproportionally without increasing the length of the magnetic circuit andthe weight and outside dimensions of the device.

On the sun gear 18 are similarly secured two armatures 23 and 24situated on each side of another special electro-magnet 25 composed inthe same manner as the electromagnet 22 with like advantages. It isobvious that any of said special electro-magnets might present any otherpreferred arrangement, having, for instance, one or two fixed armaturesand rotary rings and winding, as represented in Fig. 2 of the appendeddrawing.

In these two successive sets of elements, the armature 20 and thearmature 23 may be also respectively held fast against the rotaryelectro-magnets 26 and 27 which are mounted on the discs 2 and 11, thesebeing supplied With electric current by a well known device com prisingslip rings and brushes.

The sun gears 8 and 17 carry the respective armatures 28, 29 of the twoelectro-magnets 30, 31 which are preferably mounted on the walls of thecasing 32 provided for the whole device.

The device as illustrated may be operated in the following manner:

Sz'th or highest'speed z'n direct dwf/lm Toobtain the transmission indirect engagement, the current is sent into the rotary electro-magnets26, 27 by means of a controller and suitable conductors not shown. Theelectro-magnet 26 actuates the sun gear 9 by means of the armature 20.The epicyclic train or gearing of which the said sun gear forms a partis thus held together and isactuated both by the axles 3 of theplanetary pinions, and by the sun gear 9, so that the whole set ofgearing and hence the intermediate shaft 10 rotate at the same speed asthe main or primary shaft 1. The electro-magnet 27 actuates the sun gear18 by means of the armature 23. In the same manner as above explainedfor the first set of gearing, one obtains in this second set, upon thesecondary shaft 19, a speed equal to that of the intermediate shaft 10,i. e. equal to that of the driving shaft 1.

F fth speed 0ombz'mtz'on.-The electromagnets 26 and 31 are energized. Inthe same manner as above set forth for the first set of gearing in thepreceding combination, the intermediate shaft 10 rotates at the samespeed as the driving shaft 1. The electromagnet 31, by its armature 29,holds fast the sun gear 17 around which the planetary pinions 14 willnow turn, drawing with them the other planetary pinions in theirrotation about their axles 12.

Since the planetary pinions 13 are engaged 'f with the sun gear 16, andsince the planetary pinions 13 have a much smaller diameter than theplanetary pinions 14, the shaft 19 will be driven in the same directionas shaft 10 at a speed which is somewhat below that of the shaft 10 andhence below that of the main driving shaft 1.

Fourth speed combination-The electromagnets 30 and 27 are energized. Theelectro-magnet 30, by means of its armature, will hold the sun gear 8about which the planetary pinions 5 will now rotate drawing with themthe other planetary pinions in their rotation about the axles 3. Theplanetary pinions 4 are engaged with the sun gear 7 and since theplanetary pinion 4 is much smaller than the planetary pinion 5, theintermediate shaft 10 will be actuated at a speed below that of theshaft l. By means of the electro-magnet 27, as previously set forth forthe sixth speed combination, the secondary shaft 19 is driven at thesame speed as the shaft 10, i. e. at a speed below -that of the maindriving shaft 1. The resulting speed of the secondary shaft is slightlybelow what is obtained in the preceding case.

Third speed combination-The electromagnets 30 and 31 are energized. Bymeans of the electromagnet 30, as previously set forth for the fourthspeed combination, the sun gear 8 is held fast, an-d by the action ofthe epicyclic train or gearing, the intermediate shaft 10 is driven at aspeed below that of the driving shaft 1. Due to the electromagnet 31,the sun gear 17 is held fast, and as in the case of the fifth speedcombination, by means of the epicyclic gearing, the secondary shaft 19will now be driven at a speed below that of the shaft 10 and a fortioribelow that of the shaft 1. rlfhere is a double speed reduction, and theresulting speed of the secondary shaft is somewhat below what isobtainedl with the fourth speed combination.

Second speed combination-The electromagnets 26 and 25'are energized. Dueto the electro-magnet 26, as observed for the sixth and for the fifthspeeds, there will be obtained for the shaft a speed equal to that ofthe primary shaft 1. The electro-magnet 25, by

means of its double armature 23--21- which has now made contact,andherein a strong energetic .braking torque ought to be obtained-holdsfast the sungea 18 about which the planetary pinions 15 Will now rotate.The planetary pinions 13 are in gearing engagement with the sun gear 16,and

since the planetary pinions 13 are n'ot much smaller than the planetarpinions 15, the resulting speed of the secon ary shaft 19 will be muchbelow that of the shaft 10 and therefore below that of the primaryshaft 1. The said resulting Spee-d will be below the third speed.

First speed combination-The .electromagnets and 25 are energized. Theelectro-magnet 30 as mentionedfor the fourth speed, imparts to the shaft10 a speed which is below that of the' shaft v1.- The electromagnet 25as set forth for the second speed, imparts to the shaft 19 a speed whichis much below that of theshaft 10. This double reduction of speedbetween shaft 1 and the secondary shaft 19`permits to obtain on thelatter shaft a very slow speed which 'is less than the speed which isobtained in the case of the second speed.

Reverse speed combination-.The electromagnets 22 and 31 are energized.The electro-magnet 22 attracts its double armature 20, 21-and in thiscasevthe reaction torque ought to be also very strong-and will hold thesun gear 9 about which the planetary pinions 6 will now rotate. Theplanetary pinions 4 are engaged ,with the sun gear 7, and since theplanetary pinions 4 have a 4 larger diameter. than the planetary pinions6, the shaft 10 will be driven at areduced speed in a direction contraryto that of the primary shaft 1. As stated with reference to the fifthspeed, electro-magnet 31, will impart to the shaft 19 a speed below thatof the shaft 10. Since the shaft 10 rotates in a direction contrary tothat of the shaft 1, the actuated shaft 19 will also rotate in adirection contrary to the primary shaft, but at a more reduced speedthan that which is obtained directly upon the shaft 10.

To provide for reverse yspeeds which are faster or slower than the oneabove menvviously not limited to clutches, or change speed devices, butmay further comprise electro-magnetic brakes for shaft, wheels, etc.;

in certain cases, however, it will be preferable to arrange the variousparts ofsaid double armature electro-magnet in a manner different fromthat represented either in Fig. 1 or 2.

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the form ofconstruction herein set forth or the operation as described above and,without departing from the principle of the invention, otherconstructional forms may be employed; furthermore, in certain cases, aseries of more than two mechanisms or sets of gearing-may be used toadvantage and, to the contrary, in particular for small power units, theseries arrangement of two mechanisms may become useless, and theelectromagnet with double armature will be able 'to withstand thereaction while remaining within the normal dimensions. For likepurposes, electro-magnets with a single armature may be substituted forthe double armature magnets and the desired speed reduction ormultiplication may be obtained by the series mounting of two or moremechanisms.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

Ina clutching and speed changing device, the combination of a drivingshaft, a driven shaft, a sun gear secured on the drivenshaft and anothersun gear loosely rotatable on -said driven shaft, a planet carriersecured on said driving shaft, at least tworows of planetary pinions onsaid carrier, one of said rows meshing` with the fixed sun gear and theother row Wlth the loose sun gear, a stationary electro-magnet having Aamagnetic circuit with two interruptions, two movable armaturesdisposedopposite thel two interruptions of saidmagneti'ceircuit andadapted to be simultaneously attracted by said electro-magnet, a supportfor said armatures on which said armatures are adapted to slide JEANCo'rAL.-

